Spotlighting Indigenous Student Research
On September 30, 2023, we mark the third annual National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in this land now known as Canada.
In the days leading up to September 30th, the School of Leadership Studies (SLS) is posting a series of blogs with resources to support ongoing learning in pursuit of truth, justice, decolonizaton, and reconciliACTION.
In 2019, Nuu-chah-nulth scholar and current doctoral candidate, Christine Webster, completed a MA-Leadership thesis titled, “Traversing Culture and Academy” (Webster 2019). Through a survey and interviews with Indigenous students and alumni, her findings provided guidance to the School of Leadership Studies to help create a more welcoming university environment for Indigenous students. One piece of guidance stemming from her research was to spotlight Indigenous student successes (Webster 2019, p. 105).
In today’s post, we share the important research completed by five graduates of the MA Leadership program, including one who went on to complete her Doctor of Social Sciences.
“You belong to everyone”: Urban First Nations Access to Health Services
A doctoral thesis by Courtney DeFriend (2023)
https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/26470
Deconstructing Colonial Practices in the Federal Public Service
A Master’s thesis by Jolene Head (2022)
https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/25843
IY NONET: Bridging the Gap "For the Good of" Indigenous Youth Aging Out of Care
A Master’s thesis by Justin Brooks (2022)
https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/25718
łaʷeyasəns gayułas: Ancestral Teachings to Reclaim the Roles of Kwakwaka’wakw Women in Governance and Leadership
A Master’s thesis by Marcia Turner (formerly Dawson) (2019)
https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/10158
Traversing Culture and Academy
A Master’s thesis by Christine Webster (2019)
https://viurrspace.ca/handle/10613/12811
Congratulations to Courtney, Jolene, Justin, Marcia, Christine—and to all Indigenous graduates from RRU! We know there are many more not featured here. We celebrate your success and the impact your research has in community, now and in the future.
About the photo:
Harvested and carved by Tsawout artist Tom Lafortune with the assistance of Howard LaFortune Jr., the name of this 25-foot-tall pole is “S’ael”, a Sencoten word for harmony. This pole rests at the entrance to the Royal Roads University campus and serves to welcome visitors.
Photo credit: Royal Roads University.
Note: All Alumni gave consent to be featured in this blog post